Summer Mantle 2013

I know I'm a little behind the rest of blog land 

in debuting our Summer Mantle.

But, I finally managed to get the Dining Room cleared of all the stuff I dumped when I got back from NC, plus the mess that I left behind preparing for my in-law's 50th.  

{Pictures of their party soon to come!}

As usual, it's a thrifty mantle.

A few of the items, I picked up in NC while I was there, 

but the rest I already owned.

The biggest tip I can give people is to use what you have in new ways.

Just changing what you put items with can give it a whole new look!

Welcome to our Summer-fied Dining Room!

One of the things I picked up in NC was this old window 

that I turned into a flag.

{Tutorial coming soon, if you're interested in how I made it.}

It was actually pretty easy to make and it's super cute!

The old stair rails I got at Restore for $1.00 each.

They have the best, most organized Restore 

I've ever seen in Newport, NC!

I got a couple of things from there, 

like the little ironstone pitcher below:

The door knob actually came from my Great-Great Aunt Carrie's 

and my mother had saved a piece of the door it was on.

LOVE MY MOM!

She gave it to me.

:)

I think it's pretty cool that the mantle and a piece of the door 

from the same house have been reunited again.

I also got another awesome piece of Aunt Carrie's history, 

but I'll save that for a later post.

Everything else on the mantle, 

I just scrounged from the attic and other spots in the house.

The dining room now has a bright, cheerful summery feel.

{As opposed to the St. Patrick's Day theme it's been sporting since March.}

LOL!

And here's some other summery touches throughout the Dining Room...

On the sideboard:

And I've been waiting forever to break out this way cool Zero Fan 

that I got last fall off craigslist for $15.00.

And BONUS!

It works!

And another thrifty find, while I was on the vacay...

For $7.50, I got this awesome 1940's Oak oval mirror.

You can't see it in the picture, but the mirror is wonderfully aged.

LOVE IT!

It may get a painting eventually, but for now, 

I can't bring myself to touch it.

:)

I love how the room came together, 

although my fave is the old window flag.

Sometime this week, I'll show you step-by-step how I did it.

Until then...

What's going to be your Summer story this year?